This invention relates to a card connector for connection to a card such as an integrated circuit card (which will often be called hereunder an IC card).
In a card connector having a so-called W-Push function that alternately repeats loading and ejection of a card every time the card is pushed, the card is forcibly ejected by a load which is obtained by pushing the card to deform a coil spring.
There is, however, a problem that the card leaps out of the connector depending on a manipulation manner.
As a countermeasure, a method is generally employed wherein a brake is provided in a card connector to exert a frictional force on a card to thereby prevent the card from leaping out of the connector.
Japanese Patent No. 3383917 (JP-B) (hereinafter referred to as Reference Document 1) describes a card connector comprising a housing and a cover covering it. At one side in the housing, the connector further comprises, as a card ejecting mechanism, an L-shaped ejecting bar and a coil spring biasing the ejecting bar toward the front end of the connector. A distal bent end portion of the L-shaped ejecting bar engages with an insertion-side end of a card so that the ejecting bar moves toward the rear end of the connector following the insertion of the card.
Every time the card is pushed for loading or ejection thereof, a heart-cam mechanism causes the ejecting bar to alternately repeat a locked state where the ejecting bar is stopped at the rear end against a biasing force of the coil spring and an unlocked state where the ejecting bar is moved forward by the biasing force of the coil spring.
The cover is provided with a plate-like brake formed by cutting. The brake has elasticity and is pushed up outward by the card upon insertion thereof so as to be in constant sliding contact with one surface of the card. When ejecting the card from the connector, the brake continues to apply a frictional force to the card while slidingly contacting the card, to thereby prevent the card from leaping out of the connector.
In the foregoing card connector, however, there may arise a problem that when the frictional force is greater than the force to eject the card achieved by the coil spring, the card is not fully ejected and stops inside the connector. In view of this, it has been difficult to increase the braking force to thereby suppress the leaping-cut of the card.
Similarly, Japanese Utility Model Registration (JP-Y) No. 2568489, Japanese Utility Model Registration (JP-Y) No. 2597283, and Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (JP-U) No. H05-66768 (hereinafter referred to as Reference Document 2, Reference Document 3, and Reference Document 4, respectively) each discloses a card connector having a brake. This card connector has a structure wherein a card is ejected via a lever by pushing a button. Specifically, a lock or brake is provided at a portion where the card is guided, and braking is achieved by sandwiching the card between the brake and a card guide. Since the braking serves as a frictional force against a force to eject the card or a force to push the button, there is possibility of occurrence of ejection failure.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. H11-53486 (hereinafter referred to as Reference Document 5) describes a structure wherein a card is ejected by directly manipulating an eject lever. Braking is achieved by sandwiching the card between a lock or brake and a portion serving to guide the card. Since the braking serves as a frictional force against a force to eject the card or a force to manipulate the eject lever, there is possibility of occurrence of ejection failure.